On May 2, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference meeting to discuss the organization of the quality performance of the program “Every family entrepreneur” and analyze the works underway to secure widespread public involvement in entrepreneurship.

The program “Every family entrepreneur” was adopted by a Presidential Resolution on 7 June 2018, defining all the organizational and financial measures necessary for its implementation.

On March 7 this year, another important document was adopted in this direction – the Presidential Resolution “On additional measures for the widespread involvement of the population in entrepreneurship and the development of family entrepreneurship in the regions”.

In accordance with this document, an additional 5 trillion soums was assigned from trust funds. In general, financial resources worth 6.2 trillion soums or the equivalent of more than 700 million US dollars have been allocated to support entrepreneurial initiatives this year from commercial banks throughout the country.

It was noted at the meeting that the process of utilization of these funds is going unsatisfactorily or is completely neglected. Thus, in March-April, as low as 19 percent of the funds provided for these purposes were allocated for the development of sewing production, handicrafts, poultry farming, fish farming and beekeeping, the construction of light greenhouses and the establishment of public services.

“These figures indicate that the officials responsible for the promotion of entrepreneurship and the allocation of money are waiting for the end of the year,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. “As a result, the rates of attracting people, especially youth and women, to entrepreneurship, ensuring their employment and increasing the material well-being of families as a whole, are slowing down.”

Instructions were given to intensify the issuance and utilization of loans, uplift the sense of responsibility of sector leaders, commercial banks and public organizations.

It was noted that the efforts directed at engaging the population in free enterprise with a focus on low-income families is not carried out at the proper level.

The meeting served to analyze the activities of family entrepreneurship support centers and indicate that the tasks assigned to them, including the allocation of unused areas and buildings for agricultural products to entrepreneurs, for establishing production and providing services, are not executed.

The heads of the relevant republican commission, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, hokims of regions and the city of Tashkent, as well as the chiefs of territorial departments of the Central Bank received warning for the completely unsatisfactory degree of the organization of implementation of the program “Every family entrepreneur”.

Measures necessary to ensure the quality of the program have been identified.

Thus, for organizing the realization of the program directly on the field, each region will be assigned responsible persons of the national level. They will personally visit the regions and districts and study the state of affairs. Chiefs of the four sectors will take measures for the quality execution of the program’s activities.

A home-by-home study system will be established to clarify the needs of people for concessional loans. Along with officials of the economic complex, national receptions, local community chairpersons, representatives of the Women’s Committee, the Youth Union and trade unions will be involved in this process.

In order for the allocated funds to give a tangible result, to serve the well-being of families, it is necessary to allocate them purposefully, the President noted. In this regard, local sector leaders will be responsible for the allocation of loans and their intended use. First deputy hokims of regions, cities and districts, as well as heads of tax authorities will facilitate timely and high-quality delivery of goods within the program.

In the development of entrepreneurship, it is also important to take into account the specifics of the regions, traditional handicrafts for a certain area. For example, ceramics in Rishtan, sericulture in Margilan, the manufacture of skullcaps and knives in Chust, gardening and viticulture in Altyaryk district. The need to develop entrepreneurship, taking into account the principle “one mahalla - one type of product” was noted in particular.

Many have a desire to do business. However, not everyone knows where to get the necessary equipment. In this regard, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, hokims of regions and the city of Tashkent, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry were instructed at the meeting to organize permanent exhibitions of mini technologies in each region.

The State Veterinary Committee is tasked with delivering pedigree cattle to the population.

There is need to promote family entrepreneurship through mass media, it was pointed out, cover the activities of successful entrepreneurs, and conduct business seminars.

Responsible officials provided information on progress in the implementation of program “Every family entrepreneur” and on the further work in pursuance of the instructions voiced at the meeting.